Barry Forshaw
As a much anticipated new film is in the offing from director James Gunn with a fresh iteration of the Man of Steel, it’s the perfect time for the high-end Folio Society to issue a sumptuous new volume, DC: Superman. This features specially selected stories written by such luminaries as Jerry Siegel (Superman’s original co-creator along with artist Joe Shuster, the latter of whose work – unsophisticated by today’s standards – is still beguiling) and later talents such as the United Kingdom’s most revered comics creator, Alan Moore – the latter, in fact, supplying the truly iconic Superman story, ‘Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?’, that rounded off an entire era for the character in truly memorable fashion. The artwork for this valedictory tale is by Curt Swan, one of the two most highly-thought of artists in the Silver Age of comics, defining the image of Superman for a generation (the other was Wayne Boring). Some might feel that these two illustrators (and ace writer Otto Binder) deserved more space in this highly collectable volume, but the decision was taken to feature just 12 classic stories, so it goes without saying that some judicious decisions had to be made – and it was right, for instance, to place as the final item in the book a fully painted adventure by another iconic illustrator, Alex Ross. Certainly, the stories collected here give a solid overview of Superman’s astonishingly detailed universe (brought to its most creative fruition by the acerbic DC editor Mort Weisinger) while dedicated collectors must accept the premise: you pays your money and you takes your choice. It’s not a hagiography – the shabby treatment of the original co-creator by their bosses is addressed here.
The Folio Society Superman tribute is a premium bibliophile volume featuring a dozen indelible Superman stories. It’s a strikingly crafted edition, with carefully curated reproductions of the artwork and a sturdy slipcase. What might persuade impecunious buyers to shell out the requisite cash may, however, be the inclusion of a lovely replica of one of the most highly priced comics of all time, Superman issue #1 (the other is the book that was the premier appearance of Siegel and Shuster’s groundbreaking superhero, Action Comics #1, and a rare letter from Jerry Siegel detailing Superman’s early concept). There is a certain charm to the inconsistency of this first issue: Superman’s boots inexplicably turn from red to blue at one point, and the famous ‘S’ shield often looks like an afterthought, rarely coloured in — or even finished! There is no denying, however, the appeal and influence of this first isszue. Justifying its £70 / $100 price tag, the collection is available exclusively at FolioSociety.com.